Luxury 4x4s | Motornet.ie

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Luxury 4x4s

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

The best buys and the ones to avoid for the Luxury 4x4 market in 2006....

The Best

OUR PICK

Land Rover Discovery
All-new Disco sheds its workman roots and takes on the role of country squire.

New car is a world away from crude old model with an upmarket interior, plush seating, ‘Terrain Response’ air suspension and powerful new engines.

Ever the off-road animal, the Disco can still leave its rivals with their wheels spinning in the mud, but the Discovery now rides and handles almost as well as the class best.

And so it should starting at €55,700!

Seven-seat versions weigh in at €59,600 and are powered by new 190 bhp 2.7-litre TDI engine borrowed from Jaguar.

Six-speed manual is standard but six-speed automatic is better suited to the Disco though it’s a steep €3,400 option.

In fact, all the Disco’s options are pretty expensive.

The 299 bhp, 4.4-litre V8 is swift but punishing running-costs means it’ll drain your wallet every week and you’ll get nothing for it second-hand.

Range Rover
The Range Rover is so crushingly competent that it’s tough not to love it.

It looks fantastic, with just the right amount of modern and retro mixed effortlessly together in an understated and elegant package.

The interior is also a quality affair that has proper first-class space, while the ride and handling is impressive for such a tall, heavy machine - especially the new Supercharged model.

The 2005 facelift brought pointless new cheese-grater grilles but sadly, not the superb Jaguar-supplied 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel.

Instead, it continues with the BMW-sourced, 174 bhp, 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-diesel that isn’t powerful enough for the big Ranger.

The staggeringly thirsty, 4.4-litre BMW V8 does get replaced, though, with a new 305 bhp, 4.4-litre V8 as found in the Range Rover Sport and new Discovery.

There’s also a supercharged, 395 bhp, 4.2-litre V8 in the new flagship model, which also gets Brembo brakes, 20-inch alloys and sports air suspension with active anti-roll bars.

A six-speed automatic is standard in all V8 models.

Prices start at €86,950 for the TD SE and top out at €145,900 for the SC version.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee might come from America, but it can handle and it’s as spacious as anything else in its class.

It’s also an outstanding off-road animal, an amazing feat considering it uses a fully mechanical suspension with no active dampers or anti-roll bars.

The Grand Cherokee range comprises just three models – two 3.0-litre, V6 diesel models and a 4.7-litre V8.

The 340 bhp 5.7-litre Hemi engine and the 420 bhp SRT-8 versions aren’t sold in Ireland. Yet.

The diesel is a Mercedes unit that produces 217 bhp and 510 Nm of torque and it’s not only powerful, it’s also smooth and refined.

A sophisticated 4X4 system and a five-speed automatic with manual shifting are standard too.

Given how sweet the diesel is, we expect the 230 bhp 4.7-litre V8 model to be rare.

Climate control, 17-inch alloys, ESP and cruise control are all standard, and only Sat Nav, a 6-CD changer, dark tinted glass and a sunroof is optional.

The only fly in the ointment is the interior, which seem fairly low-rent compared to its rivals, especially considering the Grand Cherokee starts at €56,995.

Commercial version is Jeeps big seller and good value at €41,995.

Mercedes M-Class
The original M-Class was the first American-made Mercedes and also the first Mercedes I can recall with below-average build quality.

Lessons learned, the new ML is back and it’s not only better made, it’s also fantastic looking with an elegant and sumptuous interior.

The handling isn’t on the same level as a BMW X5 or Jeep Grand Cherokee but it still feels rather agile for its size, while the ride is plush and it’s refined and relaxing like a big Mercedes should be.

The model to go for will be the €69,905, 190 bhp ML 280 CDi, which comes with a seven-speed automatic, climate control, half-leather seats and 17-inch alloys as standard.

The €73,975 ML 320 CDi is essentially the same except with 224 bhp and a 6-CD changer.

The 272 bhp, 3.5-litre, V6 ML350 shares its price and basic specification with the ML320 CDi, while the €95,960 ML500 is powered by a 306 bhp, 5.0-litre V8.

Choose your options carefully, too.

Sat Nav is unnecessary unless you tour the UK or Europe a lot, but leather, a dark colour and racier wheels are all sound choices.

Nissan Murano
A Nissan? Yup, but forget the badge because this SUV absolutely deserves its place in the top five.

Simply put, the Murano is a superb machine.

The 3.5-litre V6 is the only engine available but it’s the same engine found in the 350Z so it’s quick and sounds great.

There’s only one transmission, too, and it’s a CVT (Continuously Variable Transaxle) of all things.

But that’s also brilliant, eking the very most from the engine while also allowing (fake) manual changes for enthusiastic drivers.

The interior is simple and stylish and feels very upmarket while the ride and handling is absolutely superb.

It makes no attempt at being an off-roading giant but it will skip through the rough stuff fairly well if needs be.

And although you don’t have a premium badge, you have all the premium toys thrown in for the money, including Sat Nav and climate control making it pretty decent value at €62,995.

Resale value is anybody’s guess but I could see the Murano surprising us all and holding its value pretty well.

The Rest

Audi Q7: Audi enters the big bad world of upmarket SUVs. We’ll have to wait until later in 2006 before we can rate it, but we expect it to be a good ‘un.

BMW X5: Still the best-handling of the posh SUVs but the interior and styling is very dated by now. New seven-seat X5 isn’t far away so angle yourself a deal.

Volvo XC 90: Comfortable, family-orientated, seven-seater SUV that’s safe and easy on the eye. Won’t stir the blood, but won’t anger it either.

Range Rover Sport: Range Rover’s answer to the X5 is swift and capable but looks way too like its bigger brother. Are PAG designers not allowed to be original?

Lexus RX300: The new RX is sharp looking and nicely appointed inside, but not the most fun to drive. There’s no manual or diesel option either.

VW Touareg: Decent looking, nicely appointed, a fine drive and it’s half Porsche underneath. Still, it’s a lot of money for a VW.

Avoid

Jeep Commander: It may or may not come to Europe but if it does, avoid it. It’s poorly packaged and weighs too much.

Porsche Cayenne: Nobody denies its competence, but it’s unbelievably ugly and its VW has a better range of engines and sensible pricing.

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon: More expensive than a Range Rover, but shares its name with a van.

Audi AllRoad: Expensive, jacked-up, Audi A6 Estate that’s about to be replaced by a new, though no less pointless, model.

BMW X3: Almost as expensive as an X5 but much smaller with irksome, disjointed styling and over-done interior.

Volvo XC 70: Raised Volvo V70 with plastic cladding to justify off-road pretence. Silly looking and too expensive for what it is.